Egg carton or container



Dec. 29, 1942. C..A. STAPLETON 2,306,915

EGG CARTON on CONTAINER Filed Ju ne 20, 1940 2 sheets-spam 1 grwwvvbo b Dec. 29, 1942. c. A. sTAPLEToN 2,306,915

EGG CARTON 0R CONTAINER Filed June 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 10 lkg. M I.

g 1 J x J M 1% h" I 7 A? gtwmm 67141 753 Sin 176K011 Patented Dec. 29, 1942 UNl'it-E STT FATEN'E EEC EGG CARTON OR CONTAINER Charles A. $tapleton, Omak, Wash. Application June 20, 1940, Serial No. 341,548

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved construction of egg cartons or containers and more particularly to an improved closing member or wrapper adapted to be attached to an egg carton filler for enclosing its top, bottom and side walls to thereby combine therewith to form a container and filler.

More particularly, it is an aim of this invention to provide a wrapper formed from a blank and adapted to be readily, applied to or removed from a filler for egg cartons to replace the complicated cartons or containers now in use and to provide in lieu thereof a Wrapper of simplified construction which can be economically manufactured and sold, which may be applied to various types of egg carton filler now in'use.

Still a further aim of the invention is to provide a wrapper which may be readily attached to an egg carton filler and fitted to engage snugly therearound to cooperate with the filler to prevent movement of the eggs contained therein and to thereby minimize the possibility of breakage.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein;

Figure 1 is a side elevational View showing the egg carton or container assembled,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to Figure 1 showing the flap or cover folded back to an open position,

Figure 3 is an end view in elevation of the container or carton,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 55 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 6-6 of Figure 1,

Figure '7 is an end View in elevation showing the wrapper detached from the filler, and

Figure 8 is a plan view of the blank cut to form the wrapper.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference character designate like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, ID designates generally a container or carton for eggs including a conventional filler formed of longitudinal and transverse walls l2 and I3, respectively, which combine to form two rows of egg receiving cells I4. As best seen in Figures 3, 5 and 6, the transverse walls i3 extend beyond the outer longitudinal walls |2 to form cushioning elements l5. The wrapper, designated generally l5, and comprising the invention is formed from an elongated blank I'l having the transverse fold lines l8, l9, 2!) and 2| dividing the blank I! into portions forming a side wall 22, a bottom 23, a side wall 24, top or cover 25, and flap 22. The side-wall 22 and 24 are out along the corresponding U-shaped lines 21 and along the straight lines 28 to form the struckout tongues 29 which are connected to the bottom 23 along the fold lines I8 and Is. The side wall 22, on each side of the tongues 29, is provided with an arcuately shaped slit 26.

The bottom 23 isprovided with a plurality of struckout portions 3| along each of its longitudinal edges which are attached to the blank along the fold lines it and I9 and which are adapted to be folded downwardly to form supporting legs for the container or carton H), as seen in Figures 6 and 7.

The flap 25 is provided with a struck out tab 32, the free end of which extends toward the fold lines 2| and which free end includes an intermediate portion 33 and end portions 34. The

flap 26 is also provided with the tapered extensions 35 and with a recess portion 36 in its free edge and substantially in alinement with the tab 32.

To apply the wrapper Hi to the filler H, the legs 3| are first bent downwardly, as illustrated in Figure 7, after which the tongues 29 are bent upwardly. The filler is then positioned on the bottom 23 with the curved tongues 29 extending into two of the laterally alined cells it? and disposed in frictional engagement with the inner sides of the outer longitudinal walls l2, as best seen in Figure 5, to thereby frictionally connect the wrapper Hi to the filler l The wrapper I6 is is then folded along the lines 3, 9 and 29 so that the sides 22 and 25 thereof will engage the sides of the filler H and the cover or lid will be di posed over the open top of the filler. The cushion members |5 engage against the sides 22 and 24 to press them outwardly relatively to the outer longitudinal walls |2 to prevent said walls from being distorted. The tongues 29, when positioned as seen in Figure 7, form openings 31 in the sides 22 and 24, as best seen in Figure 6. The flap 26 is folded along the line 2| downwardly and over the upper portion of the wall 22 and its tab 32 is pressed inwardly to cause the intermediate portion 33 thereof to extend through the opening 21 of the wall 22 for engaging the inner side of the wall above the upper end of the opening 3?, as best seen in Figure 6. The end portions 34 are adapted to be positioned on the outer side of the wall 22, as best seen in Figure 1. The extensions 35 project through the slots 36 and engage the inner side of the side wall 22 for holding down the ends of the flap E6.

The wrapper l6, thus applied, forms with the filler I! the container or carton l0, which is divided by the filler ll into a plurality of cells it for holding eggs, not shown. The bottom 23 of the Wrapper 86 forms a bottom for the lower end of the filler H, while the cover 25 forms a top for the open upper end of the filler. The end transverse walls E3, of the filler l l, form the end walls of the container or carton Hi. The wrapper l6 fits snugly around the filler H to snugly retain the filler therein in a manner so that the eggs contained in the cells It will be yieldably and snugly held and protected against breakage. The carton Hi may be readily opened for removing the eggs by detaching the tabs 32 and the extensions 35 from the side wall 22 to permit the cover portion 25 to be opened and the wrapper it will be held applied to the filler I while thus opened by the tongues 29.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to as only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed.

I claim as my invention:

1. An egg carton comprising in combination with a filler having a plurality of cells for containing eggs, a wrapper comprising an elongated blank having a plurality of transverse fold lines along which said blank is folded for wrapping it around, the filler to provide a top, a bottom and side walls, said side walls having struck-out tabs foldable along the fold lines of their bottom edges and extending into certain of the cells of the filler for frictionally engaging portions of certain of the walls thereof for attaching the wrapper to the filler, said tabs forming openings in the side walls, and the top Wall of said wrapper being provided with a flap at its free end having a struck-out tongue for engaging the opening in the side Wall, of the opposite end of the blank for'retaining the cover in a closed position, the free end of said tongue being disposed adjacent to the top wall and its secured end being remote to the top Wall.

2'. In combination with a filler having a plurality of egg receiving cells arranged in longitudinal rows, a wrapper formed from a blank having spaced transversely disposed lines dividing the blank into a top, a bottom, side walls, and a flap, said side Walls having struck-out tongues foldable along the fold lines of their bottom edges and disposed in certain of the cells for frictionally engaging the outer walls thereof, for detachably connecting the bottom of the wrapper to the filler, said flap being attached to the top portion of the wrapper and disposed at the opposite end of the blank, said flap having a struck-out tab, said tab having an upper, free end provided with an intermediate portion extending through said opening of the aforementioned side wall for engaging the inner side of the upper portion ofsaid wall, and end portions engaging the outer side of said side wall to limit the extent of movement of the tab into said opening, said tab and opening connecting the ends of the wrapper for retaining the top and side walls thereof in closed positions relatively to the filler.

CHARLES A. STAPLETON. 

